Mucinous carcinomas of the colon and rectum and their relation to polyps

Abstract

A study of 44 mucinous carcinomas (MC) from a series of 324 colorectal cancers was made (221 surgical resections and 103 endoscopic biopsies). This study showed that MC were associated, in a significantly higher proportion when compared to non MC, with polypoid adenomas of different kinds (hyperplastic polyps not included), in other segments of the surgical specimen (P < 0.001). MC originated from adenomas, particularly villous, but also mixed and tubular, in a significantly higher proportion than non‐MC (P < 0.001). Carcinomas arising from adenomas were mucinous in 11/14 cases. The type of adenomas from which MC arose were characterized by usually having areas with a particular arborizing mucus hyperplasia. At the time of resection, MC had metastases (Stages C and D) more frequently then non MC (P < 0.02). Copyright © 1982 American Cancer Society